Elizabeth Gerhardt

Dispute Resolution

“I thought getting involved in dispute resolution would just be a great addition to my résumé, but I ended up loving it,” says Liz. “The process of mediation is very intricate, yet so simple and effective.”

Liz plans to become a family and marriage therapist and attend graduate school. At North Central, she practices mediation skills and dispute resolution every day in her LEV 230 class. She and her classmates take on cases and work through each role to a conclusion and settlement, applying concepts they’ve learned.

“One of the best skills I’ve learned is active listening and patience … not always giving advice but letting people figure out their own problems and solutions, which is far more effective.”

Her senior year, Liz will conduct research into questions related to her career goals—questions like when marriage counseling stops and mediation begins, and what follows mediation.